


Trembling

by yankeetooter



Category: Chernobyl (TV 2019)
Genre: M/M, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Torture, Trembling
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-23
Updated: 2019-10-23
Packaged: 2020-12-31 07:29:32
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,015
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21115640
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yankeetooter/pseuds/yankeetooter
Summary: Valery is having trouble recovering from trauma.





	Trembling

It had been five days. Boris was beside himself. He'd called in every favor owed him, fired two underlings, and practically paced a trench in his office floor. And still no word! The phone rang. "What?!" he answered harshly.

"It's Nikolai, Boris. They've found him."

"What happened? Where has he been?"

"Boris, he's being rushed to the hospital."

Boris never even hung up the phone. He was out the door and flagging his driver in less than five minutes.

Valery had three broken ribs, multiple bruises and a nasty cut on his foot. Boris ached to think of Valery suffering even a tiny bit, but considering the KGB had held him for five days, it could have been much worse. The doctor said he could go home the next day, having been patched up, but he had a word of caution for Boris.

"We're sending him home because we can't do much else for him here. But he has been badly traumatized and needs peace and quiet. He's more likely to get those things at home than here."

Boris nodded. Of course Valery was traumatized. Anyone would be. But Valery especially. Boris clenched his fists thinking what the KGB might have done to Valery.

Valery seemed glad to see Boris when he entered his room, but something wasn't right. He had a haunted look in his eyes and didn't make eye contact with Boris for more than a moment. Any little noise had him jumping out of his skin and when a new shift started, he cringed at each new medical personnel.

Boris watched him worriedly. As far as he was concerned, the sooner he could get Valery home, the better.

The next afternoon they finally arrived home. Boris carried Valery's stuff in, then turned to his friend. Valery looked like a lost little boy, standing in the middle of the room as if he didn't know what to do next. Finally, Boris took him by the arm and led him to the couch. "Here, Valery, you take it easy and I'll get dinner ready."

Boris had decided he really liked cooking, and especially when he could share a meal with Valery and know he was enjoying it as well. So soon, he was preparing one of Valery's favorites, whistling one of their favorite songs while he did so. He was removing a pot from the cupboard when several of the pots and pans fell to the floor, making a loud clanging sound. Suddenly there was a frightened yell from the other room. Rushing in, he found Valery balled up on the floor in a fetal position, covering his ears and shaking all over.

Boris rushed to his side. "Valera, what is it?!" But Valery seemed unable to answer. It was fifteen minutes before he started to calm down, and even then he was still trembling. 

Finally, he was able to explain to Boris. While the KGB had held him, they had subjected him to more than just physical abuse. They had not let him sleep, and when he fell asleep, they would wake him with loud, sporadic noises, which would then continue for hours, to the point where Valery ended up on edge and couldn't calm down. Or, other times they woke him out of a deep sleep by suddenly slapping or punching him. As a result, Valery had barely slept in the hospital, even after having been rescued. And any loud noise sent him into a panic attack. 

Boris held Valery for awhile, letting the food get ruined. That didn't matter - he could have some food delivered. "It's okay, Valera. I'll help you through this."

After dinner, Valery still could not relax, so finally Boris suggested they retire. "You could use a good night's sleep, Valera."

Valery nodded, but knew he would sleep no more than he had the past few nights. He doubted he would ever sleep for more than ten minutes at a time again.

When Boris followed him into the bedroom and started undressing as well, Valery broke down and cried. "Borja, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!"

Boris took him in his arms. "What is it, Valera? You have nothing to be sorry for!"

"I'm sorry. I don't think I can..."

A revelation struck Boris. Did Valery think he expected to...? The man was covered with bruises not yet healed. His ribs were still broken. "Valera? I just thought you might want me to be with you. Maybe I can help you feel safer."

Valery sagged with relief. "Thank you, Borja! I'm not sure I'm going to be able to sleep, though."

"Then we'll lie awake together, my Valera. I could not rest knowing you are awake."

They both got in bed. Boris was at a loss as to what to do. Did Valery want to be held? Or should he let Valery decide? But Valery seemed to have already chosen. He had curled up in a ball, his back to Boris.

Boris was determined not to fall asleep, but at some point he drifted off. An hour or so later, he woke up. The bed was shaking ever so slightly. What in the world? Looking over he realized what the shaking was. Valery had dozed off but was trembling all over. Enough of this!

Boris pulled Valery into his arms. Valery jerked awake, but calmed down when he felt Boris' arms around him.

"It's no good Borja. Every time I drift off to sleep, the nightmares start!"

"Let me see, Valera.". Getting up, Boris retrieved the salve the doctor had given him to help with Valery's aches and bruises. Ever so gently he began massaging it into Valery's sore muscles, slavering it liberally onto each bruised area. He felt Valery begin to relax a bit. 

"That's it, Valera. You're safe now. Just breathe." Without even realizing it, Boris began softly crooning one of Valery's favorite piano sonatas, which seemed to help.

Valery at last drifted off into peaceful sleep. If he dreamt, it was only of Boris' strong hands easing his pain while a gentle melody played in the background.


End file.
